Daddy! You're in!

A couple of weeks ago my little girl said to me.. . "Dad, do you know I've never seen you catch a Pike" Well I ask you! If that isn't a challenge then I don't know what is?

It was a really mild February day today, good fishing conditions and hopefully I'd be able to show her a Pike or Two.

Given that Ellie is only 8 years old, keeping her entertained and free from boredom would be a task in itself. I was hoping then that the action would come thick and fast. Within 5 minutes Ellie was already asking when the Pike would come. Thankfully within half an hour of setting up a rooting Jack called by and the pressure of catching was lifted.

I was stunned to see her hold the Pike with absolutely no fear whatsoever, indeed I'd say she held the Pike better than most Pikers. The photograph is below, judge for yourself :)

During our Piking session we landed a total of 5 Pike, mostly Jacks but a 7lb 6oz and 8lb 8oz Pike were the pick of the bunch.

The 8lb 8oz Pike was a familiar capture, in fact it's the third time that I seen this Pike in as many weeks. Allan was the first to capture it but regretfully it wasn't weighed, at the time we guessed the weight to be around 7 and a half to 8 pounds. The last time I caught it the scales topped 9lb 2oz. It's interesting to see the fluctuation in weight over a short period of time.

We had a great day's fishing and I shouldn't think it will be too long before I can talk her in to coming again. :)

The smile says it all

Held like a pro


One for Daddy

When the wind blows...

The weather report for today wasn't making for good reading. I opened the curtains this morning with a little trepidation as to what I may see. Gusting winds and rain were promised but as I peeked outside and observed the sun and blue skies. It seemed that the forecasters looked to have gotten it wrong.

Now I don't mind fishing in most conditions but high winds are certainly my least favourite. I'm convinced that winds and choppy conditions put the Pike off the feed especially on the drains and canals that I fish. My catch rates in high winds certainly back up my theory.

As I arrived at my swim there was a gentle breeze but nothing more. My first rod was baited up with a ledgered Mackerel, incredibly it was only a couple of minutes after casting in that the float was under and away on it's travels. What followed was scrap with a Pike that fought like the devil. These are the moments as to why I come fishing in the first place, that connection with a hard fighting fish is hard to explain unless you've actually experienced it. Well that's what I tell people who ask me as to why I spend half my life staring at a plastic mostly motionless floats for a hobby.

Once landed due to it's long length I thought the fish looked bigger than it actually was. I was surprised to see the needle on the scales stop at 10lb 2oz. Another canal double so I wasn't for complaining, it's not too long ago that I was chasing my first canal double. Since then I've had a fair few and long may that continue.

The morning was still calm a few non threatening scattered clouds hovered above. A buzzard circled over head, an awesome sight easily distinguished by it's vocal call, sadly too high up for me to capture a photo worth publishing on the blog. A Reed Bunting darted past several times, but this little chap was too fast and constantly on the move to have time to pose for a picture.

During the morning 2 more Pike were landed, both of them Jacks and both came on suspended Roach.

And then it the wind came... It grew stronger throughout the morning reaching speeds of 30+mph. As I'd predicted once the gusts came, the runs stopped. Packing up early and going home for a Coffee was too much of a temptation to resist!

A hard fighting double

The Pike that came back for seconds

Another cold snap has left most of the waters in the area once again covered in ice, quite a dilemma when fishing is on the agenda. I checked a few waters in the area and finally found a stretch of canal that wasn't frozen.

Today's tactics were to be 2 suspended dead baits and 1 bait to be laid on the bottom.

A couple of hours had passed and so far the floats had remained undisturbed. I was getting itchy feet so decided to move swims. I walked for what turned out to be around half a mile, a pretty tricky manoeuvre as I hadn't collapsed my rods down, fully laden like a pit pony springs to mind!

The move turned out to be a good one and perhaps worth the hassle of moving, as within 5 minutes of my arriving one of my floats slowly disappeared from view. No fish though, a dropped run was the outcome. Five minutes later and it was away again another dropped run, quite likely a small Jack having a nibble.

I was just warming up by taking my first sip of a much welcomed cup of tea, when seemingly my bottom bait Mackerel was being hoovered up by something. The something turned out to be a Pike of an ounce under 11lb. Weighed, photographed and released I was sat back in my chair congratulating myself on making the effort to move swims when I was in again. Another Pike landed but smaller than the last perhaps 9lb or so.

The Pike were certainly on the feed today, incredibly in a period of around only 3 hours, I'd had 9 runs and I'd landed a total of 6 fish consisting of one double a couple of 8 and 9's the rest were opportunist rooting Jacks falling for the suspended Roach.

Whilst uploading my pictures to blogger it became apparent that I'd caught the same fish twice. What's interesting is that each catch was only 45 minutes apart. Amazing isn't it that within less than an hour a Pike can go through the rigmarole of being dragged out of the water handled and photographed and go back on the feed to go through it all again. It's reassuring to know that they can recover so quickly.

Biggest of the day 10lb 15oz

First time out

Back for another snack!

and finally...

Back Blogging!

It's been a while since I've last blogged... Over two months in fact.

Thanks to the guys at Fishtec for reigniting my enthusiasm, it's nice to know that someone out there actually reads and apparently enjoys my waffle.

I have to confess I've contemplated jacking the blogging in of late. It's not that I haven't been fishing or that I haven't caught any Pike. Truth is I've been out fishing quite often. I've been chasing old Esox with some degree of success. I've literally lost count of the amount of Pike I've had this year. Granted most of them have been rooting Jacks but there have been the odd decent Pike thrown in for good measure.

I have though become a little disillusioned by the fact that I have to think twice about publishing pictures of my captures. In particular having to go to the laborious task of blanking out the backgrounds, as awful as they look please forgive me if the backgrounds are removed from the photos, it's for the Pike's sake not mine! The cloak and dagger approach really isn't my scene, having said that I do appreciate that revealing locations can be detrimental towards the welfare of Pike from 'Have a go - Wannabe Pikers'. I also appreciate that we all have to start somewhere, myself included.

I do see some horrendous sights while I'm out and about fishing, and it's these sights that make me think twice about leading people to Pike hot spots or indeed doing other peoples homework for them. Pressured Pike will ultimately lead to dead Pike.

December 2010 was bitterly cold, and I thought last year was bad. This winter beat it hands down, temperatures struggled to get out of the minus' for around three weeks. All waters in my area were frozen solid. The River Ribble and the River Douglas even fell victim to the big freeze, a sight that I have never seen in my lifetime.

As there are so many blog reports to catch up on I shan't go into detail with specific trips and incidents. I shall though try and keep up with the blogging from now on.

Tight Lines and thanks for dropping in.

Matt

December was looking pretty grim

Canal completely frozen over
River Douglas
Hesketh Bank Boat YardRiver Douglas - Hesketh Bank

River Ribble stopped in it's tracksRiver Ribble at Church Deeps

A foggy day on the canal
An eerie sight

When the mind wanders

A nice Sluice Double

Bar tailed Godwit

Couldn't resist a suspended Smelt!

First Double of the year 12lb 3oz

9lb 2oz

Allan's 8 lb Pike

A tasty Sausage and a Canal Cracker

After yesterdays Piking trip and the last minute capture still fresh in my mind, I couldn't resist another trip out.

Just for a change on our way fishing we stopped off at a cafe and had a full English breakfast. What a good idea that was, as it was absolutely fabulous. Now that's the way to start a days fishing if there ever was one.

We meandered down to our swims with our full bellies and got about setting up. I decided to lay one bait on the bottom and to suspend the other. A decision I would become thankful for later.

Allan though was the first to catch, a Jack Pike of around 5lb's fell to a Smelt.

We leap frogged a good section of the canal and I was getting itchy feet to move again when my suspended dead was under and away. I set the hooks and felt the weight of a good fish. I caught sight of it as it flashed past me in the water. "Jesus Christ I'm in to a good fish here Allan" Was my reaction.

16lb 4oz to be exact. Now what's special about this fish? Well... It's the biggest fish I have ever had out of the Canal. It was caught on a suspended dead and the bait was a 2" Sprat. I've never used Sprat's before, I pretty much always prefer bigger baits, perhaps though I'll use Sprat's a little more often from now on.

It's a shame that I've had to edit the photo to take the background out. Saves the Pike in this area being pressured.

And that was that, we stayed until the edge of dark but there was nothing else caught.

Perfect start to a days fishing Burp! Ahhhhhh!
16lb 4oz Canal Pike

Back fishing!

It's been a while since my last blog post. Over two months in fact! I've been busy with work and moving house, this has left me little time to spend on the bank.

Today I fished a private water which contains a few Pike. I had two takes in the five hours of fishing the first one stopped before I had chance to strike and the other which came 5 minutes before I was to pack up produced me a battle scarred Pike of just over 10 pounds.

Both takes came on Suspended Smelts. Laying baits on the bottom on this venue doesn't seem to produce the goods.

It was nice to be back out on the bank and landing the fish was an added bonus :)

Battle Scarred Double

Allan's biggest ever haul!

Little did I know what was around the corner when Allan confessed to me that he didn't use 'The Method' apparently he found it too fiddly and had pretty much given up on this killer tactic. "Don't worry mate, I'll set you up and show you the in's and out's" I said.

Needless to say Allan absolutely trounced both myself and Panto, he had the session of a lifetime, I'd say that he must have landed 70 - 80 lb's of slab's in around 3 hours. I'd wager then that 'The method' is probably Allan's new favourite way of fishing.

The Pike activity during the day was pretty good. 3 for me, 2 for Panto and 1 for Allan, no monsters but great fun was had catching them. The Pike in this water fight hard, so even the Jacks are worth catching.

I'm crying on the inside

One of many for Allan